Scale Models

[rutthenut]

I guess that most of us with an interest in the Stratos have probably bought one or more models of the car. And some of us will have quite a lot more than that (excluding the 1:1 scale models, that is).

Fancy discussing these in any way?

The topic came to mind because I saw an advert in a magazine for www.autosportmodels.com and it showed the Pirelli Stratos in their advert. This is a UK company and they have a neat selection of cars on their web site - including the show car done in 2000 as a modern interpretation of the Stratos.

Who out there is a wizard at building/painting these models too?

I'd quite like to have a copy of my road/race car as a model, but with an accurate and fairly well-painted copy of my colour scheme. What would be the sort of cost for a custom painted model of this sort?

That's without asking for a kit to be built with right hand drive, correct colour interior, etc - just the exterior paint scheme as the main area for reproduction.

I did use some touch-up paint and a Matchbox-style model to try out the colour scheme many years ago, but I do not have any painting skills so the result was representative, but lousy!

[chris.richard]

Yep, I've got three, a Kyosho 1/18th scale metal Safari Alitalia , a 1/24th ESci plastic Group 4 Pirelli, and a 1/24th plastic Group 5 Alitalia, (plus, as you say, the 1/1 scale kit currently being sworn at).
Coincidentally, I found this in Classic Car Weekly today

[Stratos]

Originally posted by rutthenut

Who out there is a wizard at building/painting these models too?

I'd quite like to have a copy of my road/race car as a model, but with an accurate and fairly well-painted copy of my colour scheme. What would be the sort of cost for a custom painted model of this sort?


John,

There are a few people who will do this, but it's not cheap.

Kevin McDaid, who produced the Chequered Flag Stratos, does very good work, but I believe will only do runs of about 50 cars, and even those are not cheap per unit. The Chequered Flag car was £65.

Your best bet may be to find a model enthusiast who will undertake the job for the joy rather than the money.

You may be able to find a model car forum, and contact someone through that. Does anyone know of such a forum?


One thought on this area though. I was speaking to someone a few months ago, and it might actually be a good investment. Apparently the prices commanded for special runs which have sold out is unbeliveably high! Not talking just Stratos here, but diecast model cars generally.

[rutthenut]

Originally posted by chris.richard
Coincidentally, I found this in Classic Car Weekly today

WRC eh?

I didn't realise the Stratos was a 'World Rally Car' to the latest regs :eek:

But then again it beats all the current cars for charisma!

And it was an early homologation special, being designed just for the purpose and not just a limited run of modifications to an existing. It's not as if WRC cars are at all related to the road cars...

[mogul_x]

Originally posted by rutthenut
Who out there is a wizard at building/painting these models too?

John,

I used to be pretty good at building and painting models, but it's been a few years, so I can't say whether I've still got the touch. Last car model I did was a Plymouth Prowler, about 5 years ago.

I've done 3 Stratos kits - a Tamiya Gp.5 Turbo, and two Gp 4. Safaris from a manufacturer I can't recall. One of the Gp 4 cars was done as per the instructions in the kit - Alitialia livery per included decals.

The Gp.5 car also started as Alitalia, but the decals all peeled off after a couple of years (typical of every Tamiya model I've ever built), so I repainted it in Marlboro livery. I couldn't find all of the right decals to do an accurate reproduction, so I took some liberties. The result looked OK when I was 14 years old, but I wouldn't call it my best effort.

The other Gp.4 car was built as a custom car of sorts. I filled in the pop-up headlights, put quad rectangular lights where the indicators & fog lights should go, filled in the original taillights and replaced them with quad round lights. Also did a custom dash and modified the shut lines on the (non-operating) doors to give the appearance of gullwings. I think I also put wheel centers form a Porsche 956 over the coffin spokes that came with the kit.

I know it sounds sacriligious now, but I was about 15 at the time, and didn't know any better.

Both of the Safari cars are no longer extant - they got thrown out when my father sold his house a couple of years ago. The Gp.5 is still sitting in my office at home.

If I had more free time, I'd offer to do a model of your car for the cost of materials and shipping. Unfortunately, I have no idea when it'd get done, and I couldn't guarantee a show car quality finish on the paint. I actually spent more time bulding warship models than cars, and matte finish paints require a lot less skill to apply.

Cheers,

Scott

[rutthenut]

Originally posted by mogul_x
I actually spent more time bulding warship models than cars, and matte finish paints require a lot less skill to apply

That makes sense - I use to build model airplanes when I was a lot younger (in my long-lost school years). Spitfires, Lancasters, that sort of thing, plus the odd jet (Red Arrows Hawk trainer, Lightning) and the finish on those was nowhere near as good.

I've got a part built model of an Integrale that I shelved some time (couple of years) ago, after seeing the result of gloss red paint applied by brush. Kind of put me off doing any more model building. That and the fiddling around with metal buckles on tiny seat-belt harnesses, a heck of an awkward thing to deal with!

[mogul_x]

Believe it or not, it is possible to get a decent finish applying glossy paint with a brush - it just takes a lot of practice. When I was doing models regularly, I brush painted an F40 and a Rothmans livieried 956 (the blue on the sides of the car - everything else was decals) and they both came out perfect. Smooth, glossy- not a brush mark to be found. Wish I'd kept those.

Of course, the dozen or so cars leading up to that are another matter.... Suddenly remembering an unfortunate Testarossa that I decided to paint yellow.
:eek:

[guy mayers]

Originally posted by Stratos
[Apparently the prices commanded for special runs which have sold out is unbeliveably high! Not talking just Stratos here, but diecast model cars generally. [/B]

I can comment from recent experience here on Ebay! To offset the mounting costs of the Spider rebuild I recently listed all my old boxed good condition Matchbox cars and they raised over £400! Nearly offset the purchase/collection of a Fiat Argenta bought for the engine, gearbox propshaft and back axle! It also came with a spare axle and gearbox, shame there wasn't another engine! Going to have to spend some time on the Stratos soon, tax and MOT have run out for the first time in years but I'll probably have to sell the Stratos jacket to finance it's recommissioning!
Guy

[Glen]

i've been doing a few models for quite a long time, but i started painting them last year and im not really good at it... :p my newest one is a yamaha yzr1 the body is nice cuz it was sprayed but when i look at the exhaust pipe i can see brush marks so i dont think i can help u rutthenut...

but does anybody know a good manufacturer for a good quality model kit of a stratos? i've seen a few and most of them were scary, and the good quality ones i saw were diecast.

[guy mayers]

By far the best models I have come across are the Doyusha 1/12 scale series. There are two Alitalia cars, Monte Carlo and Safari plus a Pirelli one. Detail is incredible, if memory serves me right there are over 100 parts to the engine alone, all the panels open and even the suspension works! Best place is collectors fairs or Ebay but be warned, they are expensive and need to be built properly. I think mine has taken longer so far than the replica! Mind, I have had a year off working on the Spider. After that the next best is an even larger scale one that I bought at my local newsagents years ago. Detail is fantastic for a toy, accurate down to the lense patterns! Last time I saw one for sale was at Silverstone on the Italian Miniatures stand for £46! I may be persuaded to sell the remaining two black and one white one after all! Keep an eye on Ebay after the New Year.
Guy

[OZStratos]

This is a link that was posted to me from Roger Corrie in Virginia Beach. It may be of interest to some members. The link goes to a Stratos slot car.
Cheers
Paul Morton

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2619&item=3112561664

[Stephenos]

John, many people feel as you do. They would like to have a miniature representation of a car they had, have now or would like to own. Also as you did, it's a great way to try out new things like colour schemes or body mods without actually messing with the real car.

Most hobby shops will have a custom builder who, for a price, will do as you have asked. Or, they may be linked to / sponsor a local model club that will do similar. I know of a die cast store just an hours drive from here that do this routinely. But it is very costly. Starting at $300 CDN for just a colour change.

BUT, that is not near as costly as what my brother did...
As no model had ever been done of our family's car he commissioned an Ontario based 1/43 company to make one. The project took several years. The master moulds cost over $7000 CAN. But the end result has been spectacular. So anticipated and then well received was this model that before the first ones were released for sale another (now British based) 1/43 company had commissioned the same master mould maker to do a coupe version for their own line up. (Sorry, not a Stratos but very unique for it's time.)

As David quite rightly points out, high end model collecting is indeed a huge and growing investment market.

If your interested in learning more about our car go to:

http://www2.reach.net/seven/LaSalle/1934lasalle.htm

Click on the Durham cars link to see the 1/43 version

*NOTE* The 1/18 Kyosho models like the Pirelli Stratos John mentioned are exquisite. Highly detailed with excellent fit and finish. Below is a photo of a Limited Edition 1/1000 of the winning '77 Monte Carlo Stratos that I just received tonight. Unfortunately the clear plexi cover is cracked in two places. This is the second Kyosho model I've purchased via the net that has been damaged. The other was indeed the same San Remo #4 Pirelli as previously mentioned. It how ever had the windshield wiper and front left hood hinge broken off.
The retailer I purchased the Pirelli car from has agreed to exchange it. He explained to me that mine was the fifth damaged Kyosho he's had to replace. It would appear that the North American importer / distributor has a quantity of damaged units that they have sold to retailers at a "bargain price". So if your looking for a bargain on ebay be forewarned. If buying ask the seller to report any box damage and fully examine any models before they ship them to you.

[Doc]

John ,If you can find the right model, I can paint one for you and maybe add any details missing that you require,I haven't built a miniture replica for a few years but I think that I can remember how.
As for cost, the way I see it you pay for the basic model and paints and when its finished you can buy me a pint OK.

[Stratos]

Ian,

I'm sure there's a few of us wold take you up on a deal like that.

[Doc]

Well as I said If you can find the model that represents your car then I will try to replicate your car.
As yours is yellow its not too much of a problem,the ones with fancy paint work are much harder to do.

In fact if you let me know which kit seems to be the best I will see if I can get a "JOB LOT".

[rutthenut]

A few models up for sale on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1190&item=3120058982

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=159&item=3213232887

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=159&item=3213234588


As far as getting a model to replicate any particular owner's car, I'd be happy for any of the existing models to painted well with a paint scheme looking close to my own car. Having a Stradale body would be best, ignoring lhd/rdh issues and wheel types.

The Vitesse 'skid' models were going for a tenner each at the NEC (can't remember which stand that was on though), so they could make a good basis. No need to build the model then, just paint it in the desired livery (which is the most difficult bit, imo).

Cheers all